CLL drug approved in Scotland

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has approved the drug venetoclax to be used to treat chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) in Scotland. It will now be available for a specific set of CLL patients – the details of the indication are set out in the official approval document issued by the SMC and found here.

This is great news for this patient population in Scotland, who will now have the option of being treated with innovative new medicine.

Bloodwise made a formal submission to the SMC for this appraisal, based on the views of patients who have been treated with venetoclax. Patients told us that the drug had been highly effective in treating their disease – symptoms were reduced, side effects were limited, and patients were very positive about their experience of treatment.

It was important that the patient voice was heard during this appraisal, and we are again very grateful that patients who had been treated with this drug got in contact with us to share their experience. We were able to communicate this to the SMC, and are delighted that the patient voice has been heard.